


King of the Solstice

by TeaRoses



Category: The Chronicles of Narnia
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-03-06
Updated: 2010-03-06
Packaged: 2017-10-07 18:33:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 432
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/67987
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TeaRoses/pseuds/TeaRoses
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He has been imprisoned here so long, yet the Witch still comes to tempt him.</p><p>(Warning for a slightly twisted speculation as to the origins of Father Christmas.  No offense is intended.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	King of the Solstice

The ice surrounds him, draining his will, and no matter how long he looks he cannot see any sign that it is melting. He used to love the cold in happier times but now he prays for warmth.

Now a hole opens in the room of ice. His captor is visiting, striding in with her head held high to tell him of her progress against the Sons of Adam. If the prophecy is true, will this be her last visit? He has had faith that it will be so, but even he is starting to doubt.

"Shivering, are you?" she asks him. "I thought you came here already well-accustomed to ice."

He was, but this ice is not natural, nor is the searing cold of his prison.

She lowers her head a bit and looks into his eyes. "You could convince me to be merciful, you know. Perhaps even more than merciful."

"What do you mean?" he asks weakly.

"You are older than the Lion," she says.

"That helps neither you nor me. Everything has changed."

"You were a god!" she spits out. "You used to dance in the snow among the winter revelers. People made you offerings of meat and grain. You drank wine to toast the shortest day, with She Who Makes The World Live Again by your side."

"That was before," he replies.

It seems too long ago now, those days when he ruled the winter and the maidens wore garlands of holly for him. He wishes she had not reminded him.

She stands directly in front of him and holds his face in her hands. "If you will join me, it can all be as it once was. You can be ruler again, by my side, rather than a delivery boy, and our winter will never end."

This Witch of Winter is a beautiful woman, and he considers her words for just a moment, thinks of what it would be like to be her consort, to receive gifts rather than give them. The witch leans forward and kisses him on the lips. The kiss is neither warm nor sweet, but it makes him want to give her anything she asks for. But in the end, he pulls away.

"I cannot," he says.

"You will be punished once the Lion is dead!" she shouts.

"The Lion will live, Daughter of Lilith" he replies. "And the children will be expecting me."

The White Witch leaves, and he is surrounded again by the ice. But this time he is certain that he sees drops of melted water running down the walls.


End file.
